Kingsmere Estate - Display

8/3/2019 Kingsmere Estate - Display

1/6

WessexArchaeology

St EdburgsChurch of England (VA) School

KINGSMERE ESTATE

KM

TE

AEANS

RETROMANROAD

O

N

R

DORCHESTERT

TOWCESTER

ROMA

OAD

Roundbarrows

Reproduced fromOrdnance Survey data Crown Copyright2011.All rights reserved.Reference Number:100028190

N

0 500 m

EvaluationAreas

Excavations/trenches

BICESTER

Digging into the PastIn 2008, archaeologists investigated the areaknown as Whitelands Farm, whereKingsmere Estate is now.

The archaeologists dug trenches in theground, to look beneath the surface. Theyuncovered lots of objects, or finds, whichgave information about the people who livedon this land in the past. Once cleaned,specialists examined these objects to find outwhat they were.

The oldest find from the site was part of a250,000 year old handaxe. Most of the otherfinds on site dated from the Bronze Age tothe Saxon period, between 4000 and 1000years ago.

Take a look in the displaycabinet at some of the finds

discovered by archaeologists


2/6

WessexArchaeology


KINGSMERE ESTATE

Iron Age

Palaeolithic Mesolithic

egAeznorB

Neolithic

This fragment of a handaxe was found

in a field boundary ditch. It is over aquarter of a million years old!

My body was found buried in a shallow

grave. I died when I was around50 years old. I was buried with several

of my possessions ...

A clay pot

decorated

using a

comb was

also found in

the grave

Aflint

blade knife

by my left heel

A bone

toggle held

my clothes

on my right

shoulder

There were two earth mounds, calledround barrows. Some barrows haveburials. No human remains were foundhere and their purpose is unknown.

Why do you think they were built?

This bronze palstave, oraxehead, was discovered on site.It is similar to ones found

previously in Wales


3/6

WessexArchaeology


KINGSMERE ESTATE

Medieval, Post-Medievalup to Recent times ...SaxonLate Iron Age to Roman

Archaeologists found an enclosure which wasused to keep animals. Cattle, sheep and pigbones were found

Around 2000 years ago,during the Late Iron Age /

Early Romano-British period,this area was used for farminganimals and growing crops

Spelt (an old form of wheat) and some barleygrains were discovered at the bottom of astone-lined tank. Some had started to germinate,which could be evidence for brewing beer

Many pieces of Roman pottery were also found.Many were broken or just the bases of the potremained. These bases may have been used as

counters for playing games

There was a little activity inmedieval and post-medievaltimes but this site was mainlyused for farming activities

Spelt

6 row barley

The lower part of abuilding used to dry

corn was found. Thisman is preparing the

grain for drying


4/6

KINGSMERE ESTATE

WessexArchaeology


5/6

WessexArchaeology


KINGSMERE ESTATE


6/6

WessexArchaeology


KINGSMERE ESTATE

Documents

Kingsmere Estate - Display